ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Education
Online submission/registration of fresh applications and renewal for National Scholarship Portal  for National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme  for the project year 2023-24
Scholarships are awarded to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to reduce dropouts at Class VIII
One lakh fresh scholarships awarded annually to selected Class IX students of State Government, Government-aided, and local body schools
Online submission/registration of applications on the National Scholarship Portal  for scholarships for the project year 2023-24 commenced on 01st October 2023. Under the ‘National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme’, implemented by the Ministry of Education for school students of Class IX to Class XII, scholarships are awarded to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to reduce their dropout at Class VIII and encourage them to continue their education at the secondary stage. One lakh fresh scholarships are awarded to selected students from Class IX each year and upon their continuation/renewal in Classes X to XII for students studying in State Government, Government-aided, and local body schools. The amount of the scholarship is ₹12000 per annum.
The National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme  is boarded on the National Scholarship Portal  - a one-stop platform for scholarship schemes given to students. NMMSS scholarships are disbursed directly into the bank accounts of selected students by electronic transfer through the Public Financial Management System  following DBT mode. This is a Central Sector Scheme.
Students whose parental income from all sources is not more than ₹3,50,000 per annum are eligible to avail of the scholarships. The students must have a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent grade in the Class VII examination to appear in the selection test for the award of scholarship .
The scholarship applications undergo two levels of verification on the National Scholarship Portal. The first is at the Institution/School level by the Institute Nodal Officer  and at second by the District Nodal Officer .
For the current year, timelines for registration of fresh applications, renewal applications and for level-I and Level-II verification on NSP are as follows:
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SCHEME ACTIVITIES
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DATE
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Opening of Portal
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1st October 2023
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Last date for application submission
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30th November 2023
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Last date for the First level 
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15th December 2023
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Last date for Second level  verification
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30th December 2023
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
On a steady downhill, India’s Active Caseload further drops to 3.05 Lakh
Less than 40,000 Daily New Cases recorded continuously since the last 21 days
10 States/UTs account for 66% of Total Active Cases in the country
India’s trajectory of active cases continues to follow a steadily dipping path. The total Active Caseload has dropped to 3.05 lakh  today.
This has been made possible by the trend of recoveries exceeding new cases and low number of fatalities per day which have ensured a total net reduction of the Active Caseload.
India’s present active caseload consists of just 3.04% of India’s Total Positive Cases. The new recoveries of 29,690 in the last 24 hours have led to a net decline of 3,407 in the Total Active cases.
10 States/UTs account for 66% of the total active cases in the country.
The number of daily new cases in the last 24 hours is 26,624. The daily new cases have been less than 40,000 since the last 21 days continuously.
The total recovered cases are nearing 96 lakh .
The difference in the New Recoveries outnumbering New Cases has also improved the Recovery Rate to 95.51% today.
74.68% of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States/UTs.
Kerala has reported the maximum number of single day recoveries with 4,749 newly recovered cases. 3,119 people recovered in Maharashtra followed by 2,717 in West Bengal.
76.62% of the new cases are concentrated in 10 States and UTs.
Kerala reported the highest daily new cases at 6,293. It is followed by Maharashtra with 3,940 new cases.
341 case fatalities have been reported in the past 24 hours.
Ten States/UTs account for 81.23% of new deaths.
Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties . West Bengal and Delhi follow with 43 and 32 daily deaths, respectively.
Competition Commission of India
CCI imposes penalties upon firms for bid rigging in tender floated by GAIL
The Competition Commission of India  passed a final order against two firms, viz ; PMP Infratech Pvt. Ltd. and Rati Engineering, for indulging into concerted practices leading to bid rigging of tender floated by GAIL in 2017–18 for the restoration of well site located in Ahmedabad and Anand areas of Gujarat.
Based on investigation and electronic/documentary evidence collected by the DG as well as other evidence available on record, CCI found that the two firms were in regular touch with each other regarding the tender floated by GAIL and even after the submission of their bids. Further the bids of two firms were submitted from same IP address from the premises of PMP Infratech Pvt. Ltd.’s office at Ahmedabad, with a one-day gap. CCI found such conduct to have contravened the provisions of Section 3 read with Section 3 of the Competition Act, 2002 which prohibit anti-competitive agreements including bid rigging.
The CCI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 25 lakh on PMP Infratech Pvt. Ltd., Rs. 2.5 lakh on Rati Engineering and Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50 thousand on their respective individuals who managed and controlled the firms, besides passing a cease-and-desist order.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
National Education Policy  2020 lays emphasis on the development of creative potential: ADG  Webinar on NEP 2020 organized today
Chandigarh, 21 August 2020
National Education Policy 2020 lays particular emphasis on the development of creative potential of each individual, said Smt. Devpreet Singh, ADG , Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. She was briefing the participants during a webinar on National Education Policy  2020 organized today by Press Information Bureau and Regional Outreach Bureau, Chandigarh, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India. Highlighting the salient features of the policy, she said universal high-quality education is the best way forward for maximizing our country’s rich talents and resources for the good of the individual, the society, the country and the world.
Robin Aggarwal, Director, Learning Paths School, S.A.S. Nagar said that NEP 2020 has been formulated after extensive deliberations and has incorporated suggestions of people from all walks of life. He presented an overview of the Policy and highlighted major initiatives of policy that will transform the education sector.
Smt. Raj Bala, Principal, Government Girls Model Sr. Sec. School, Chandigarh underlined the importance of regional language/local language as the medium of instruction in schools. She said that it will result in decline in dropout rate from schools.
Mrs. Sangeeta Sekhon, Principal, Strawberry Fields High School, Chandigarh said clustering of schools will help in sharing and collaboration among the schools. Career counselling departments in schools and appropriate assessment strategy are crucial for policy implementation, said Mrs. Sekhon.
Dr. Karminder Ghuman, Associate Professor, LM Thapar School of Management said the current system of education is exam driven where parents assess education in terms of marks obtained. Showing optimism, he said educated & aware parents will be main drivers of the policy.
The webinar was attended by students from Learning Paths School, S.A.S. Nagar and Government Girls Model Sr. Sec. School & Strawberry Fields High School, both from Chandigarh. Shri Ashish Goyal, Director, Regional Outreach Bureau, Chandigarh moderated the webinar. The session concluded with Shri Himanshu Pathak, Assistant Director, PIB, Shimla, presenting a vote of thanks to all the participants. Other officials of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting from the region participated in the webinar.
Ministry of Earth Sciences
Cyclone Warning Centre to be set up in Thiruvananthapuram within a month
With several incidents of tropical cyclones and severe weather events striking over Kerala and Karnataka coasts in the recent times, the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences is proposing to set up a Cyclone Warning Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. The Ministry is planning to set up the Centre in another one month. At present, IMD has cyclone warning centres only at Chennai, Vishakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
The Centre will cater to the needs of Kerala and Karnataka states and will be equipped with all state of the art infrastructure including forecasting tools to issue weather warnings and coastal bulletins .It will further strengthen the present forecasting activity in India Meteorological Department’s existing office in Kerala.
The Ministry is also planning to set up another C-Band Doppler Weather Radar at Mangalore by end of 2019, which will cover the northern parts of Kerala. At present, there are two Doppler Weather Radars in the state, at Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. With these 3 radars, the entire state will be covered for monitoring of rainfall and severe weather events, and adequately warn the people well in advance. IMD has developed many new models and tools right from nowcasts  to extended range forecasts .
The Department is also planning to organize an awareness and training workshop for the state disaster management authorities of all states and other stakeholders by next month, to brief and train them on the new tools and how to make use of them for effective decision making.
PP/GK
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Special Service and Features
Dak Adalat – Postal Department
It is proposed to conduct Dak Adalat on 24.09.2020 at 11.00 hours at Anna Road HPO, Chennai 600002. The members of the public are requested to send their grievances, if any regarding Postal services  availed at Anna Road HPO, Chennai 600002, either in person or by post or through email at doannaroadhpo.tn@indiapost.gov.in, with the caption Dak Adalat, on or before 21.09.2020. They may also attend the Dak Adalat in person on 24.09.2020 at 11.00 hours.
This is stated in a Press Release issued by Shri. S. Kumar, Chief Postmaster, Anna Road HPO, Chennai 600 002.
Ministry of Railways
Railways ramps up in in-house production of masks and sanitizers by to supplement the health care efforts of Government of India
Till 1st April 2020 Indian Railways produced total 287704 nos. of masks and 25806 liters of sanitizers
All Railway zones are doing it but some like CR and WR have greatly ramped up
Masks and hand sanitizers are being made available to all staff coming on duty; These are also being ensured for contract labourers
In continuation of the measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Indian Railways is making all out efforts to supplement the health care initiatives of Government of India. In this direction Indian Railways is producing Masks and Sanitizer in-house in its all Zonal Railways, Production Units and PSUs.
Till 1st April 2020 Indian Railways has produced total 287704 nos. of masks and 25806 liters of sanitizer in its Zonal Railways, Production Units and PSUs. Some of the Indian Railway Zones has taken lead in this regard like Central Railway with 22580 nos. of masks & 2693 liters of sanitizer, Western Railway with 46313 nos. of masks & 700 liters of sanitizer, North Central Railway with 26567 nos. of masks & 3100 liters of sanitizer and Eastern Railway with 14800 nos. of masks & 2620 liters of sanitizer.
Since freight operations of Indian Railways are running 24X7 to maintain essentials and goods supplies, operation and maintenance staff are working round the clock. To ensure safety of these staff and boost their morale, following is being ensured at all workplaces:
i.Masks and hand sanitizers are being made available to all staff coming on duty. These are also being ensured for contract labourers.
ii.Soap, water and washing facilities are being provided at all work places. With local innovations hands free washing facilities have been provided.
iii.Social distancing is being ensured. Awareness in this regard is being regularly spread amongst all staff like trackmen, locomotive pilots etc.
President's Secretariat
PRESIDENT MURMU URGES TEACHERS TO ENCOURAGE THE HABIT OF ASKING QUESTIONS AND EXPRESSING DOUBTS IN THE STUDENTS
PRESIDENT OF INDIA CONFERS NATIONAL AWARDS ON TEACHERS
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, conferred National Awards on 45 teachers from across the country at a function held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi today  on the occasion of Teachers’ Day.
Speaking on the occasion, the President remembered her teachers and said that they not only taught her but also gave her love and inspiration. On the strength of the guidance of her family and teachers, she became the first daughter of her village to attend college. She said that she always feels indebted to her teachers for whatever she has achieved in life.
The President said that science, research and innovation are the basis of development in today's knowledge economy. The foundation stone for further strengthening India's position in these areas will be built through school education. She said that, in her view, the development of original talent in science, literature, or the social sciences can be more effective through the mother tongue. It is our mothers who teach us the art of living in our early lives. That is why mother tongue is helpful in developing natural talent. After the mother, the teachers carry forward our education in our lives. If teachers also teach in their mother tongue, then students can develop their talent with ease. That is why in the National Education Policy 2020, emphasise has been laid on the use of Indian languages for school education and higher education.
The President said that it is the responsibility of teachers to generate interest in science and research among their students. Good teachers can make complex principles easy to explain with the help of living examples that exist in nature. She quoted a famous saying about teachers and said “the mediocre teacher tells; the good teacher explains; the superior teacher demonstrates; and the great teacher inspires.” She said that an ideal teacher has all four qualities. Such ideal teachers build a nation in the true sense by building the lives of the students.
The President urged teachers to encourage the habit of asking questions and expressing doubts in the students. She said that by answering more and more questions and solving doubts, their knowledge would also increase. A good teacher is always enthusiastic about learning something new.
Please click here to see the President's Speech -
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
India leading the global recovery from the pandemic, says Union Minister Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar
With an ever-expanding market space, high demographic dividend and a highly skilled and trained workforce, India has been much better-placed than other prominent economies to lead the global recovery from the pandemic affected world, said Shri. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Electronics and IT. He was speaking at an interactive session on "Aatmanirbhar Bharat-A vision for a Confident, New India" organized at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute , Kochi on Friday.
"Unlike many other nations, India's economic response towards the pandemic was aimed at achieving self-reliance in developing vaccines and to effectively insulate the most vulnerable section of the society from pandemic induced economic distress", he said. Towards this end, the government focused on distributing cash and food to targeted population, developing health infrastructure and vaccination. This approach was at variance with the views of several renowned economists, but the experience of the country so far showed that the policy worked well at the grassroots level, the Minister added.
The Minister further said that several structural reforms aimed at improving the efficiency of production were taken up by the government to improve India's medium and long-term growth prospects while at the same time not compromising with the immediate requirements to combat the pandemic. This approach has gained wider economic significance in that India is registering a solid recovery. The ambitious Aatma Nirbhar Bharat vision of the government focused not only on vaccines and economy but it also stressed on national security and strengthening democracy, the Minister said.
Touching upon the Government's efforts to strengthen infrastructure development, the Minister said the PM Gati Shakti scheme would pave the way for an interconnected system that would facilitate digitally enabled super governance.
A galaxy of eminent people representing leading business houses, research and academic institutions attended the function. CMFRI Director Dr A Gopalakrishnan and Shri A Jayakumar also spoke on the occasion.
Competition Commission of India
Competition Commission of India  launches an Online Guidance System for determining notifiability of Merger & Acquisitions in terms of the Competition Act, 2002.
Supplementing the Government of India’s vision for e-Governance and Digital India Programme, the Competition Commission of India  today launched an Online Guidance System for determining notifiability of merger & acquisitions  in terms of the Competition Act, 2002. The Guidance System has been named as “Do It Yourself : A notifiability check for mergers & acquisitions under the Competition Act, 2002”
The online guidance system has been launched as part of CCI’s outreach initiatives and measures to simplify compliance requirements regarding combinations. The interactive online application has been developed based on relevant provisions of the Competition Act, 2002, relevant regulations issued thereunder and exemption notifications issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. This application envisages a staged process to guide the stakeholders in determining whether a merger/acquisition is notifiable to CCI.
DIY toolkit is accessible at https://efilingcci.gov.in/DIY
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Draft notification issued which proposes to allow modification by way of retro fitment of CNG and LPG kit and replacement of diesel engines with CNG/LPG engines in case of Bharat Stage vehicles less than 3.5 tonnes
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, vide draft notification dated 27th January, 2022, has proposed to allow modification ,by way of retro fitment of CNG and LPG kit, and replacement of diesel engines with CNG/LPG engines, in case of Bharat Stage vehicles ,less than 3.5 tonnes . As of now, retro fitment of CNG and LPG kit is permissible in motor vehicles under the BS-IV emission norms.
This notification lays down the type approval requirements for retro fitment. CNG is an environment friendly fuel and will reduce the emission levels of Carbon monoxide, Hydrocarbon, particulate matter and smoke ,as compared to petrol and diesel engines.
This has been formulated in consultation with stakeholders. Comments and suggestions have been invited from the concerned stakeholders within a period of thirty days.
Click here to see Retrofitmennt in BS VI
Ministry of Women and Child Development
Swadhar Greh Scheme
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing the Swadhar Greh Scheme for rehabilitation of women in difficult circumstances. The scheme covers women who are deserted and without any social and economic support, women victims of domestic violence, family tension and natural disaster.
Besides the above, Ministry of Women and Child Development is also implementing Universalisation of Women Helpline Scheme which is envisaged to provide 24 hours emergency and non-emergency response to women affected by violence, both in public and private spaces by linking them with appropriate authorities such as police, One Stop Centres, hospital and legal services.
Under the ‘One Stop Centre Scheme’, One Stop Centres for violence affected women across the country as part of the Nirbhaya Framework, are established with the help of States/UTs for providing legal and psycho-social counselling along with other facilities including temporary shelter, police facilitation and medical support to the women needing the same under one roof in an integrated manner.
This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Home Affairs
NDMA to conduct flood preparedness exercise in Uttar Pradesh tomorrow
The National Disaster Management Authority ) conducted a table-top exercise at the State Emergency Operation Centre  in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh today. The exercise was held in the run-up to a State-level mock exercise on flood preparedness to be held in 23 flood-prone districts of Uttar Pradesh tomorrow. The exercise is being held in collaboration with State Disaster Management Authority .
All the districts confirmed that their Disaster Management Plans  had been updated, Response Teams identified and other preparations for the exercise had been put in place. The table-top exercise was conducted based on scenarios created in collaboration with State Department based on flood mapping and other related hazards. Independent observers were also briefed about their role and standard feedback forms were given to them. Sites for the mock exercise and administrative arrangements were finalised.
Earlier, a Coordination-cum-Orientation Conference was also held on June 5, 2018 wherein a detailed briefing about the conduct of mock exercise was carried out by NDMA coordinator.
These preparatory exercises were attended by senior-level officials of the State Government, Army, Air Force and National Disaster Response Force  at the State Headquarters in Lucknow. District collectors and their teams participated in these exercises through video conferencing.
Ministry of Defence
Downsizing Manpower in Army and Civilian in Defence
The number of military and defence civilian pensioners as on 01.04.2019 and expenditure incurred during last two years is as under:-
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Category
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Number
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Expenditure during 2018-2019 
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Expenditure during 2019-2020  
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Military Personnel
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25,87,078
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1,01,774.61
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1,17,259.26
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Defence Civilians
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6,01,783
In the accounts and budget, the expenditure in respect of Military personnel and Defence Civilians is not maintained separately. The Government has accepted the recommendations of the Committee of Experts  which envisages to optimize 2600 combatant posts and 31000 civilian posts. Government is already using new technology in day-to-day administration and open to upgrade it for smooth conduct of routine work/administration.
RBI vide their Master Circular on Disbursement of pension by Agency Banks issued vide their letter No. RBI/2013-13/103, DGBA.GAD.No.H4/31.05.001/2012-13 dated 02.07.2012 has made provisions for payment of interest on delayed payment of pension/family pension/arrears of pension. These orders have also been circulated vide PCDA  Circular No. 165 dated 22.02.2013.
Department has implemented issue of e-PPOs since October, 2017. More than 11 lakh e-PPOs have been issued so far. Pension grievances are mainly received through CPENGRAMS/CPGRAMS which are generally replied within stipulated time.
This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Shripad Naik in a written reply to Dr Shashi Tharoor in Lok Sabha today.
ABB/SS/Nampi/KA/DK/Savvy
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